Decentralized Transit Pickups Improve System Efficiency

Systems connected: Public transit, economic growth, ride-sharing

The Ride KC: Bridj pilot program will use a fleet of Ford Transit vans to augment and serve as a gateway to other forms of transit. Many pick-up locations will be at bus stops and areas served by existing Kansas City transit and bike-share systems.

Public transit necessarily involves some sort of compromise between the vehicle and the rider — the vehicle has to get close enough to the rider that the rider is willing to board, but not so close that it takes a winding path and delays other riders.

Kansas City’s on-demand shuttle pilot project looks to bypass that model. Working with technology company Bridj and Ford Motor Co., the city has set up a program where people can hail rides from shuttles using their smart phones. With an average wait time of 5-10 minutes and a price of $1.50 per ride, the service is meant to bring public transit to each person.

Aside from the convenience of not having to walk or bike to a station, the city is touting the economic sense of the project as well. A Brookings Institute study from 2011 found that most people in cities can only reach 30 percent of local jobs with public transit in less than 90 minutes. Bridj said its shuttle service cuts those times.

Ben Miller is the business beat staff writer for Government Technology. His reporting experience includes breaking news, business, community features and technical subjects. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, and lives in Sacramento, Calif.